Railway track and platform structure



Sept. 12, 1933. w. A. HUTTON RAILWAY TRACK AND PLATFORM STRUCTURE Filed June 9, 1932 25 on its road wheels and we Patented Sept. 12,1933

- 2 2 95 a if V TRACK AND PLATFORM Q STRUCTURE r i RAILWAY 1 Willis A. Hutten,Melrose, Mass." r Application Jane 9, 193,2. "SerialNo.,6 1 6, 19 2 .7 Claims. (01.; its- 21 The objectof this invention istoprovide a" rail- 7' 7 way track and platform structure adapted for use with a' motor truck having the usual road wheels and flanged wheels-adapted to run like railway'car wheels on the usual rails of a muway.

track, the road wheels being' concentric withthe flanged wheels, and of somewhat larger diameter, said structure being adapted to be quickly and easily conditioned so that first the road wheels 10 may run from a highway onto the structure, the

' flanged wheels being inoperative, and the truck may be lowered to engage the flanged wheels with the track rails, and render the road wheels 1110a erative, and secondly, the truck maybe raised to ,r emove the flanged wheels from the rails and render the road wheels operative so that the truck may-run from the structure to a. highway, all without jolting, and jarring -the wheels and ;the truck as a Whole. 1 1 v Of the accompanying drawing forming 'a part of this specification,-- i1 Figural is a perspectiveyiew showing myim- "proved structure associated with two highway portions, and a truck approaching the structure leaving the structure on its flanged wheels. 4 I

1 Figure 2 is alongitudinal section on the, plane indicated by line 2-2,ofFigure 1. 1 Figure 3 is a view similar a) Figure 2 ,showing the structure conditioned to permit the flanged wheelsto run on the track rails, the road wheels being inoperative: 3 3 Figure 4 is a transverse section on the plane indicated by line 4 4 of Figure 1.

I Figure'5 is a view similar toa portion of Figure 4, s'howing the structure conditioned to render the flanged wheels operativeand the read wheels inoperative. r i V Figure 61s a fragmental sectional view showing 40 an alternative construction'of the movable's'up ports hereinafter described, end-the adjusting mechanism assoeiated therewith. 1

" Figure 7 is a perspective view showing a portion of one of the side platforms.

Figure 8' shows in perspective elements of a track which includes a 'main line and a siding. Figure 9 is a side view of a portion of the track s hownby'Fig'ure 9.

The same reference charaeters" indicate the same parts in all of the figures. I

j The truck shown intwo positions byFigure 1 is provided with the usual road wheels 12, and, as has often been proposed heretofore, withflanged wheels l3'located beside the road wheels and'of' smallerdiameter than the lattenthe peripheries .oifethe wheels being concentric with each other, and the flanged wheels located-at-the innersides of; the road wheels. a

My improved] track and platform structure comprises the usual parallel rails 14 of a railway track section, a fixed central-platform 15 between; 133 the rails, the top surface of said platform being flush" with the rail treads, and its longitudinal edges spaced therefrom to: receive the flanges of V the wheels 13, as shown'byiFigurefi, andtwo fie I, movable side platforms lfi' located at the outer sides of thefrails- 14, andextending parallel there- The structure 'cornprises also adjustable supjporti'ng means'engaged with theside platforms [Q 7 16'a'rid movable'to support the platforms in a raised position flush withthe rail treads'and' with "the central p1a'tform'l5, so thatthe three plat-. forms and'the rail-treads collectively constitute a horizontal-area on WhlChlJhB truck may be 'maneuveredunder its own power froma highway portion 17, to park it with its road wheels on the side platforms and its flanged wheels located in position to be lowered ontothe rail't'reads. n Sai'dadju'stable supporting. means'may be of any suitable construction; I'preferto embody said. means in swinging. struts'18 pivoted at '19:to v flxed supports 20 and at 2.1:to the side platforms The strutsare-adapted to swing in vertical 3? planes and thereby impart vertical and horizontalendwise movements to the side platforms.

' t I- provide adjusting mechanism hereinafter de scribed for adjusting the supports. to" lower the side'pl'atforms and a truck parked thereon, and

rneansfor limiting the downward movement 0f the supports' 'and platforms, the arrangement being such, that whenthe' side platforms are fully lowered "the-flangedwheels 13 bear on the rail treads; and-the road wheels 12-are separated from theside platforms'as indicated byFigure 5, so a that-the truck'is adapted torun on the track rails, thej'road wheels being inoperative.

"The adjustingmechanism is operable to cause 7 the supporting meansto raise the lowered side platforms to aposition flushwith the central,

platform and the rail treads, and thereby raise the: flanged wheels fromthe rails and complete the area above described, so that thetruck may bemaneuvered by its road wheels onto the high .105

way portion 1 7, or onto either of; twohighway portions atlopposite sides ofthe structure, said highway portions having ends adjacent the side platforms and flush therewith whenthe plat- 1 formsareraised. i y r 21 to a fixed support, and connections between said lever and the adjustable supports whereby theymay be simultaneously adjusted to lower and raise the side platforms. In thisinstance, the supports being swinging struts, the connectionsbetw'ejen the member ZGand th'e strutsmay includebel l crank levers 22 'fulcrum'ed at 23 on, fixed supports, Connections 24 between the member 26'and the'bell crank levers, and connections 25 between the bell crank lever and the struts.

An alternative form of ad'justing means i's shown by Figure 6, said means including "worm gear segments 2'? on the struts a crankshaft-g8 journalled in fixed bearings 29 and worms 3Q fixed to thecrank shaft and meshmg -witn the:

segments 27.

The-side platforms 16 are provided with ramps" 3 1' on which the roadfwheels lzmay-runsmoothly downward from the platform-to gpositions beside the rails, and upward from saidspositions tothe platforms, when the latter are'r-aised. [lhe ramps 'are' preferably of considerable length to provide easy inclines and-are connected byhinges 32-with the sideplatforms, their outer ends being 'slidable 'on horizontal wear-plates 33 fixed belowthe' rail treads. If*-'desired-, howeverg the ramps ;may be 5 extensions 3 lat -fifxec l tothe side platformsand more abruptlyinclined1than -aretheramps 31, as

7 indicated by Figure 6; T-he, ramps 'aref arranged 'to guide a truck upward fromthe rails to'the side platforms'whentheilatter areraised, so that the supports and adjusting mechanisrn are-relieved of the-duty of raising the, g'truclgwith, the

side platforms.

shown by Figures-1', 2 3 and 7. I a

It a will be. seen that the described smear -permits atruckequippedwith two sets of wheels "to be. transferred from. a highway to -track rails,

and from theitraok rails to the;highway-, w-ithout joltsand jars. l

'Fig-ures 8 and 9-show a ra-ilway-track;;which' ir'rcludes fixed rail portions 140 and 1 411, a-nd: an

zinter-mediate -rail portion 142; which-is movable so that it may be located ;inposition toconnect ".iby' Figure3,- and displaced to leavea-lgap therebetween as'eshown by Figure-9. =--The.;trackgj-includesalsofixedrail-portions 143 and 14 i :and an intermediate rail portion lei-which is mov- -.'-a ble-so that-it may be located in position to con- :nect theatreads of the portions -,-l43 and 144,

- and displaced to leave agap therebetween similar to that' shown by Figure 9'. Bhe' -several .rail

portions are elements of a traok'which includes a main line and abr'anch, or siding. ,The' movable rail portions 142 rand; 145 are mounted onmovable supports which; in this instance; -are swinging-struts A pivotedvto said movable portions and to fixed:supports fioflthe struts being movable by mechanism similar to my track secuon; "a-

central platform be- ;platforins, -so that the truck is adapted to run 1 with ramps on which "the road wheels may -run .to the. rods23. a

' 1;. A trackand, platform structure for use 80 with motor trucks having road wheels and rail wheels adapted to-"be used alternately. said structure'co'mpri'sing thfe u'sual rails of a railtween-the track rails and flush with the treads thereof, movableside platforms located at the outer sides of the rails, and extending parallel there'WitE adjuStabIe supports engaged with the -'-"s'ide*platforms and movable to support the same ,in a raised-position flush with the railtreads and central platform, so that. said 'platform's and -rai l treads collectively constitute an area on which a truck may be maneuvered from a highway 'topark it with its road wheels on the side .platforms-, 'and i -ts; flanged-wheels located in pesition toJ-be owered onto the rail treads, and adjusting mechanism ion-adjusting wamprports -=to lower, the 7 side; platforms; and i a truck parked thereon; means being providedifor' lim it-ing the ldownwardmovement of the supports a and side platforms-the arrangement beingsuch that when the' side plat formsflare fullyylow'ere'd the flanged wheels bearw-on the rail .treads and the road wheels are separated from the side 5 on the track rails, said. adjusting mechan'ism belug-operable to cause said supports to -raiseithe lowered side-platforms .to a position -flu shwith :the central .platform and rails,'-and--complete said area so that atruckon the raised platformsmay E I v n be maneuvered by its road-wheels onto'ahighway." '..The '-.downward movement of the supports-l8 "andplatforms 16 may :b'elimited-by fixed stops-35,,

.p'rovidedfior example; by portions of---ties--36;sup-

;--2.;- A-trackand platform structure as specified 7 I by claim 1; the side platforms. being provided from and to the sidelpla'tforms whenthe :latter 1615 are raised said ramps being-arranged touguide -;a truck upward :from the rails "to the -sfide ;platforms when the lattertare:raised, so that said supports 1 and adjusti-ng; mechanisnri;v are .--rlieve d pm of the duty of raising the truckwith thewside platfiorms :"means which maybe 'embodied'in small ribs-37 projecting upwardly from andext ending lengthwise ofupper surfaces of .said

3. A track and j alatfornr structure as fspecified l Joy -claim 1, the said. supports being. embodied sw -lnging struts pivotedlto fixedsupports and -to the side platforms; and adapted to swing -in' vertical planes and thereby simultaneously-impar.t--vertical, and horizontal endwise movements to the sideplatforrns; vsaidplatformsber- {ring provided; with-hinged-ramps whose outer ends W3 are slidable -on"=fixed wear plates, said ramps ;-being arranged to guide atrucl;=upward-trom.the

rails to: the side platforms when thelatter are raised, so that= said supports andadjusting I :mechanismare relieved oi :thedutysof -raising the" treads-jot the-portions 'MO-and-l-il, as shown the' truckwith the side platforms. I ($35 4. A' track and platforin structure as-specifiedzby claim 1, the saidsupportsbeing embodied in swinging struts pivoted to fixedsupports-and tO- theid'e platforms-,and adapted to swing in :vertical planes -an'd thereby simultaneously im part-vertical and l1orizontal endwise movements to the side platforms, the adjusting mechanism including a manually operableoperating member 'erating lever fulcrumed on a fixed support, bell swing in vertical planes and thereby simultanel ously impart vertical and horizontal endwise movements to the side platforms, the adjusting mechanism including a manuallyfmovable op,-

crank levers fulcrumed on fixed supports, connections between the operating lever-and the bell crank levers, and connections between the bell crank levers and the adjustable supports. j

6. A track and platform structure as ,specified by claim 1, the said 'supports being embodied in swinging struts pivoted to fixed supports and to the side platforms, and adapted to swing in vertical planes and thereby simultaneously impart vertical and horizontal endwise movements to the side platforms, the adjusting mechanism including worm gear segmentsj'on the adjustable supports, a crank shaft journalled fixed bear.-

fin'gs, and worms fixed to the'crank shaft and 5 meshing with said segments. p

' ,7; A track and platform structure asspecified by claim 1, comprising alsoguiding-meanson the side platforms to assist a driver'in properly locating the road wheels thereon ,to locate the track wheels in positionto be lowered onto the rail treads. r v

' WILLIsAgHUTTON.

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